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Study: TSA finding more loaded guns at airports

The number of incidents in which the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found a gun during an airport security screening increased 16 percent in 2013, according to a study reported on Monday by the Boston Globe.

The study found the TSA discovered 1,813 guns in passengers’ carry-on luggage at U.S. airports in 2013. The number was nearly double the number of guns discovered in 2009, when TSA agents reported 976 such incidents.

Eighty-four percent of the guns that were identified by TSA workers last year were loaded, according to the report.

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TSA officials say most of the passengers who are found to be attempting to bring weapons onto airplanes attribute the incident to forgetfulness.

American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) general counsel David Borer told the paper that passengers need to be more mindful of the TSA’s rules.

“How does that happen?” Borer, whose union represents TSA workers, said. “They don’t forget to put on their pants. They don’t forget to bring a toothbrush. But oh hey, they forgot they brought a gun? They’ve been on notice for this for 10 years, and it’s time to grow up and be responsible.”

The airport with the highest number of gun incidents per passenger was Raleigh County Memorial Airport in West Virginia, according to the report.